UAB Blazers
The UAB Blazers basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham in NCAA Division I men's College basketball. The Blazers compete in Conference USA where they have been since 1995. The team is currently coached by Mike Davis. History The UAB Blazers, in effect, started their entire athletics program with the creation of a men's basketball team in 1978. Setting high standards from the start, UAB hired former UCLA Bruins men's basketball, University of Illinois and Memphis head coach Gene Bartow. Known to many as the "Father of UAB athletics", Bartow led the Blazers to almost instant success. Since their inaugural season, the Blazers have made 13 appearances in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament including 3 Sweet Sixteen (NCAA Basketball Tournament) appearances and 1 Elite Eight appearance. UAB has also appeared in the NIT a total of 9 times, including 2 appearances in the NIT Final Four. After only 29 years of basketball, UAB has had 26 winning seasons including memorable wins over Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball, Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball, Louisville Cardinals men's basketball, Alabama, Florida Gators men's basketball, LSU, Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball, Villanova Wildcats men's basketball, Cincinnati, UConn and Memphis, among others. Coaches Players Retired Jerseys Since UAB established its basketball program, only 3 jerseys have been retired and now hang in the rafters of Bartow Arena. It was decided early on in UAB's basketball program that such an honor would only be bestowed on those players that earned AP All-American honors and graduated from UAB. In the NBA UAB has also seen a number of its players move on to a professional career in the NBA. Some of UAB's highest NBA draft picks include: * Oliver Robinson (2nd Round/1st Pick/24th Overall) to the San Antonio Spurs * Walter Sharpe (2nd Round/2nd Pick/32nd Overall) to the Seattle SuperSonics * Steve Mitchell (2nd Round/12th Pick/36th Overall) to the Washington Bullets * Reginald Turner (2nd Round/20th Pick/47th Overall) to the Denver Nuggets Other former Blazers to move on to the NBA include: * Larry Spicer * Keith McCord * Glenn Marcus * Norm Anchrum * Jerome Mincy * Chris Giles * Donnie Speer * Cliff Pruitt * Lex Drum * McKinley Singleton * Archie Johnson * Alan Ogg * Stanley Jackson * Donell Taylor Post-Season In less than 30 years, the UAB Blazers have made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and 9 NIT appearances. UAB is 9-13 (.409) all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 12-9 (.571) all-time in the NIT. Facilities UAB initially played its games at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Complex Arena, but moved its games to an on-campus facility beginning with the 1988-89 season. Originally known as UAB Arena, the name was officially changed to Bartow Arena on January 25, 1997. The 8,508-seat arena is named after Gene Bartow, the coach who largely built the school's men's basketball program from scratch over the last quarter of the 20th century. Attendance records External Links *Official athletics site Category:NCAA Division I schools Category:Conference USA members Category:Schools in Alabama Category:Conference USA East Division members